Fifteen people were killed and another 46, including Posts and
Telecommunication Minister Mahinda Wijesekera were injured in a suicide
attack which targeted the National Milad-un-Nabi festival at the Jumma
Mosque in Godapitiya, Akuressa (Matara District) around 10.30 am
yesterday.

Eye witnesses said around 5,000 including several Government
Minister’s were proceeding to the Mosque in a procession to attend the
main event held in celebration of Prophet Mohommed’s birthday when the
suspected LTTE suicide bomber struck.

Minister Wijesekera who was participating in the event as the Guest
of Honour was seriously injured in the blast and was later airlifted to
Colombo, where he was undergoing emergency surgery at the time of going
to press.

Several other Ministers including A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Yapa
Abeywardene, Ameer Ali, Pandu Bandaranayake and Chandrasiri Gajadeera
who were participating in the procession escaped unhurt.

Minister Fowzie, who was participating in the event as the Chief
Guest told over the phone that he was covered in blood and flesh in the
aftermath of the blast. Earlier eye witness reports suggested, that he
was critically injured. It was found that the Minister was unharmed. Non
Cabinet Minister, Ameer Ali commenting on his experience said that he
saw a severed head in front of him in the immediate aftermath of the
blast.

He admitted that he was numb with shock for a short while due to the
blast.

Meanwhile, organising committee member, M.H.Faizal told Nuwan
Kodikara (a journalist from our sister paper Dinamina) that he had seen
a dark skinned young man wearing a yellow shirt approach the procession
after getting down from a bicycle.

Scene of the blast. Picture by Rukmal Gamage .

“He acted in a strange manner. So when he came close to me I grabbed
his hand and called a Policeman who was nearby.

But before the officer intervened he got rid of my grip and went
forward. Shortly I heard a loud blast, and I was numb with shock. Later
when I came to my senses I saw bodies strewn all over the place,” Faizal
said.

Minister Mahinda Wijesekera after being brought to the Colombo
National Hospital.
Picture by Sudath Malaweera

Another organising committee member, T.M.Nazeer (Pradeshiya Sabha
member) said that he had seen a fireball shoot up as he entered the
premises where the event was being held. He had also seen Minister
Mahinda Wijesekera fall prior to loosing consciousness.

Meanwhile, 42 injured patients had been admitted to Matara hospital
following the blast. Another seven and two were seeking treatment at
Akuressa and Karapitiya Hospitals.